Canada’s embattled Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will announce a major cabinet shuffle on Friday, government sources told AFP, days after the surprise resignation of his longtime number two shocked the nation.
It will be a “significant shakeup,” one source said.
Chrystia Freeland, after nearly a decade at Trudeau’s side, announced on Monday she was quitting her dual roles as deputy prime minister and finance minister after disagreeing with her boss over US President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats.
The move marked the first open dissent against Trudeau from within his cabinet and has emboldened critics.
As many as a dozen new ministers could be appointed to replace those in the current 35-member cabinet who have signaled they will not seek re-election in 2025, and to relieve others of their double or triple duties in government.
Freeland said she herself would seek re-election next year.
Dominic LeBlanc, the public safety minister, has already been sworn in as the new finance minister and took over the reins from Freeland on negotiating with the incoming Trump administration.
He is expected to give up the public safety portfolio in Friday’s shuffle.
Anita Anand, who is both Treasury Board president and transport minister, and Ginette Petitpas Taylor, who has been juggling three jobs, are likely to also see their loads lightened.
On Monday, the housing minister announced he was quitting politics, after six others said in recent months they would not be seeking re-election.
Asked at a news conference Thursday if Trudeau still has the confidence of his team amid a growing revolt by backbenchers, LeBlanc said “yes.”
As much as one-third of Trudeau’s caucus has been urging him to resign and make way for a fresh face to lead the Liberals into the next election, which is scheduled for October 2025 but expected sooner.
In public opinion polls Trudeau trails by 20 points his main rival, Conservative Pierre Poilievre, who has tried three times since September to topple the government.